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Parenting Tip
Children all across
Oklahoma counted the days until school was over. But parents everywhere
know what they will soon be hearing is complaints from the children that
they are bored.
What is a parent to do? Debbie Richardson, Oklahoma State University
Cooperative Extension Service child development assistant specialist,
said that the goal of parents and other caretakers should not be to
entertain children all day long, but to help children learn to entertain
themselves.
"Parents and caregivers must have the right tools and props to nurture a
child's imagination," Richardson said. "Oftentimes children spend hours
in front of the television, which is passive entertainment. Children
learn to become dependent on the TV and often find it difficult to
entertain themselves."
To help beat the summertime blues, create a "boredom busters" list. Make
a list of fun activities that children of all ages can enjoy. Another
idea is to stock a special closet, basket or cabinet with "boredom
busters" activities. When children complain of having nothing to do,
parents can suggest they look at the list or find an activity in the
closet, basket or cabinet.
"Don't worry if there isn't always a plan of action right at your
fingertips," Richardson said. "While your children may grumble about
being bored, it forces them to tap into their creative resources and
rely on themselves for entertainment. Unstructured time can be relaxing
for children. The next time you hear 'I'm bored,' don’t rush to
entertain them. They'll gravitate toward their interests, and when they
busy themselves they'll feel pleased they did so.
Setting a
summertime schedule is also helpful for children. Schedule set times
for meals & snacking will help cut down on the “endless” boredom eating
and requests for food throughout the day. Schedule times for outside
active play and indoor quiet play. When children know what to expect
they are less likely to place demands on your time in telling them what
they can and can not do!
Click
HERE
to find out how.
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